The present invention relates to a new and improved string support assembly for use with a guitar or similar stringed instrument to position strings relative to the instrument.
Stringed musical instruments of the guitar type commonly have a body portion, a neck portion which extends outward from the body portion, and a head portion connected with the end of the neck portion opposite from the body portion. A plurality of tuning devices are mounted on the head portion and are operable to adjust the tension in strings which extend from the head portion along the neck portion to the body portion of the musical instrument. A nut or string support system is provided adjacent to a connection between the head and neck portions of the instrument. The nut positions the strings relative to the neck portion of the instrument.
The manner in which the nut cooperates with the strings is very important in obtaining the desired tone from the instrument. Thus, the nut must be accurately located to determine the effective length of the strings. The nut must hold the strings against sidewise movement in order to avoid a buzzing sound effect. During the operation of a tremolo, the nut should allow the tension in the strings to be varied in a predictable manner. The nut should be constructed in such a manner as to enable a uniform spacing to be obtained between each of the strings and the frets on the neck of the guitar.
A known string support assembly includes a base member which is connected with a musical instrument adjacent to a connection between head and neck portions of the musical instrument. A plurality of pairs of string support members are disposed on the base member. Each of the string support members has an arcuate surface which engages a string of the musical instrument. String support assemblies having this general construction are disposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,492,044 and 5,696,336. Other known string support assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,394,783 and 5,438,901.